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Best Spring Beers In Seattle

March 24, 2016 5:00 AM

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Spring is right around the corner and local Seattle breweries are gearing up for the season by promoting new and re-released beers for spring. Whether you’re a fan of refreshing citrus blends, the mild bitterness of a lighter-colored IPA, or the darker, roasted malt of a London-style fermented porter beer, you’ll find several new and returning spring beers to choose from at each of the following Seattle breweries and pubs.

The Redfeather Sipa is one of Black Raven Brewing’s signature spring beers for 2016. It features the flavor of a red IPA along with the bitterness of hops. It has three different malts, including black and two-row barley, and also has a red hue thanks to the crystal malts added to the brew. Another of Black Raven Brewing’s spring beers will be the new ale known as Flock Party. It’s described as being between a pale and blonde ale, with many mandarin influences, making it juicy and aromatic with a low level of bitterness.

Elysian Brewing Company offers the Hawaiian Sunburn brew as its most popular spring beer. It’s a pineapple habanero sour that’s described as being a little sweet, packing a bit of heat, and having a refreshing yet tart finishing taste. This beer is brewed with pineapple concentrate and habanero pepper powder. It also features magnum and hull melon hops, along with Dextra-Pils and acidulated malts.

Redhook Brewery’s Blackhook Porter has been a spring seasonal beer since 1983. It’s described as a revival of the London-style top-fermented porter-style beers. It’s dark in color — hence the name Blackhook — for its black appearance with ruby highlights. This smoother, robust porter beer features a roasted-tasting malt and a sweet caramel flavor. It’s finished off with just a touch of bitterness that’s derived from the hops.

The Pyramid Alehouse in Seattle offers the Hopfen Spring pale ale as their seasonal spring beer. This brew is made with noble hops to create its herbal and spicy aroma. It also features a crisp, light flavor, with a mild bitterness constructed from three malts including the two-row pale barley, Munich 20 and carapils.

The Pike Brewing Company is releasing the Pike Hive Five brew for spring 2016. It’s described as a hopped, honey ale made from honey collected at the beehives at the Salish Lodge at Snoqualmie Falls. This pale ale is light gold in color, has a biscuity flavor and can be served with seafoods, salads, cheeses and nuts. Pike Brewing also has the Pike Saison Houblon, a French farmhouse ale with a hoppy, floral twist. It features fruity and citrusy notes, along with Belgian saison yeast.

Fremont Brewing also has the spring pale ale beer called 77 Fremont Select. It’s described as a crisp, refreshing “wunderbeer,” made with citra, calypso, Chinook and Cascade hops. It also features three malts including the two-row pale malt, honey malt and the special aromatic.

Sue Gabel has been writing entertainment and travel-related articles in the greater Puget Sound/Seattle area since 1999. She writes about music, the Seattle scene and more. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.